STATEMENT BY DATO’ SERI UTAMA HAJI MOHAMAD BIN HAJI HASAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF MALAYSIA AT THE SUMMIT OF THE FUTURE “MULTILATERAL SOLUTIONS FOR A BETTER TOMORROW”[...]

STATEMENT BY

DATO' SERI UTAMA HAJI MOHAMAD BIN HAJI HASAN

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF MALAYSIA

AT THE SUMMIT OF THE FUTURE

"MULTILATERAL SOLUTIONS FOR A BETTER TOMORROW"

UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS

22 SEPTEMBER 2024, NEW YORK

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mr. President,

Mr. Secretary-General,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Summit of the Future, is an opportunity, to redesign global governance, that is effective, for the present and the future.

2. Therefore, Malaysia reaffirms our support for the Summit of the Future and the Pact for the Future.

3. Conflicts and challenges are confronting us, each passing year, costlier and deadlier!

4. From the inability to stop the genocide in Gaza, to the impact of climate change, to the widening of development gaps between the Global South and North, it is time to galvanise holistic global governance, premised on humanity.

Excellencies,

5. However, our efforts will be futile, if the persisting threefold challenges are not addressed.

6. These challenges are food security, access to education and climate change, which are among the key thrusts in the Sustainable Development Goals, that are severely lagging behind.

7. By 2050, our planet will be a home to a population of 10 billion people. How will we feed the world then, if we cannot do so now?

8. Education is the tool to address inequality. Empowerment through knowledge will emancipate the underprivileged, lifting them out of poverty.

9. Yet, in the Global South, millions of children are deprived of this very fundamental right - the right to education.

10. We must break barriers, and ensure access, quality and affordability. The global community must democratise education.

11. The Global Digital Compact is crucial to address the digital divide. This includes creating adequate digital infrastructure to ensure education for all.

12. Climate crisis is not a distant threat. It's here, it's real, and it's affecting us with floods and forest fires, resulting in among others, famine. We have no choice but to act on it.

13. The solution is also contingent upon adequate climate financing as well as technology transfer and innovation.

14. Malaysia believes that we should strive for a Green Development Pact that robustly addresses the scientific and technological divide between the North and the South, supported by climate financing and other development assistance projects. The Global North should not leave the Global South behind!

Excellencies,

15. The Pact for the Future represents hope, for:

● Stronger collaboration between the Global South and North;

● Multilateralism that is driven by science, technology and innovation; and

● Policies driven through scientific cooperation.

16. However devastating it may have been, COVID-19 led to collaborations in medical research, equipment and expertise, without which we would not have been able to recover.

17. We should build on this momentum.

18. I stand before you today with the conviction that if we act decisively, we can shape a future:

● Where no child goes to bed hungry;

● Where education is a right, not a privilege; and

● Where our planet is cherished and protected.

19. A future where the Global South is recognized not as consumers of technology, but as pioneers and innovators.

20. We propose the creation of a 'Global Science Fund' to encourage diverse and innovative solutions to the challenges we face, leveraging on our collective human capital.

21. As we embark on this journey, let us remember that this is not a competition, but a shared battle against prevailing challenges.

22. Malaysia supports the transformation of global governance. We call for a renewed approach to multilateralism, grounded in inclusivity, justice and accountability.

I thank you.

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